Sanitary water fitting

Abstract

A sanitary water fitting having a bearing ring arranged as a sliding bearing between the fitting body and the bearing sleeve. The bearing ring seals off a circling groove holding sealing rings from the bearing sleeve and is itself sealed off from the bearing sleeve by means of an external seal placed at the bearing ring. In its axial extension it borders a water passage opening which is between a circulating water channel and a swivel spout connection piece. The advantage of this invention is that the water flow in the circulating water channel and towards the swivel spout connection piece is controlled in such a way that the formation of lime deposits in the area of the sealing rings is considerably limited even after a relatively long period of operation, or even prevented completely. Since the water can no longer get in between the parts moving in relation to each other and the bearing ring itself helps to protect the sealing rings, there is no longer a possibility of serious levels of lime deposits settling in this sensitive area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sanitary fitting comprising: a stationary fitting body including circling collars projecting radially outwardly, said fitting body being provided with an inlet channel, an outlet channel, and circling grooves, wherein said circling collars define part of said circling grooves, and wherein said circling collars define part of a circulating water channel therebetween;   sealing rings disposed in said circling grooves;   at least one bearing ring disposed around said stationary fitting body, said at least one bearing ring defining part of said circulating water channel;   a bearing sleeve which surrounds said fitting body and said at least one bearing ring and which is pivotable upon said at least one bearing ring, said bearing sleeve being provided with a water passage hole adjacent said circulating water channel, wherein said at least one bearing ring is interposed between said bearing sleeve and said circling grooves;   a swivel spout connection piece having an arm which extends into said bearing sleeve and surrounds said water passage hole; and   a valve control unit mounted on said fitting body and connected to said inlet and outlet channels and to said circulating water channel via said outlet channel, said circulating water channel leading to said arm of said swivel spout connection piece.   
     
     
       2. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one bearing ring comprises an upper part and a lower part, each said part arranged symmetrically in relation to said circulating water channel. 
     
     
       3. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one bearing ring comprises an upper bearing ring and a lower bearing ring. 
     
     
       4. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one bearing ring borders said water passage hole and includes a beveled edge which borders said circulating water channel outwards towards said swivel spout connection piece. 
     
     
       5. A sanitary fitting comprising: a stationary fitting body having a generally cylindrical outer periphery which includes a circling collar which projects radially outwardly and which at least partially defines a circulating water channel circumferentially disposed about the outer periphery, said fitting body further being provided with an inlet channel, an outlet channel, and a circling groove disposed at least partially around the outer periphery of said fitting body, wherein said circling collar at least partially separates said circling groove from said circulating water channel and defines part of said circling groove, and wherein said outlet channel intersects with said circulating water channel to allow fluid communication therebetween;   a sealing ring disposed in said circling groove in said fitting body;   a bearing sleeve which surrounds said fitting body, said bearing sleeve defining part of said circulating water channel, said bearing sleeve being provided with a water passage hole adjacent said circulating water channel to allow fluid flow therethrough;   a swivel spout connection piece having one end attached to said bearing sleeve over said water passage hole, thereby allowing fluid flow from said circulating water channel into said swivel spout connection piece; and   at least one bearing ring disposed between said bearing sleeve and said sealing ring, said at least one bearing ring abutting said bearing sleeve and said sealing ring, wherein said at least one bearing ring overlays said sealing ring and said circling groove, and wherein part of said at least one bearing ring defines part of said circulating water channel;   wherein said swivel spout connection piece and said bearing sleeve are pivotable about said fitting body by sliding contact between said bearing sleeve and said at least one bearing ring;   whereby contact between said bearing sleeve and said sealing ring is prevented by the interposition of said at least one bearing ring between said bearing sleeve and sealing ring.   
     
     
       6. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 5 wherein said at least one bearing ring has an outer periphery which is provided with a bearing circling groove; and further comprising a circumferential seal disposed in said bearing circling groove, thereby providing sealing between said bearing sleeve and said at least one bearing ring. 
     
     
       7. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 6 wherein the part of said at least one bearing ring which borders said water passage hole comprises a beveled edge which slopes toward said bearing sleeve. 
     
     
       8. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 5 wherein part of said at least one bearing ring borders said water passage hole. 
     
     
       9. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 5 wherein said at least one bearing ring comprises an upper bearing ring and a lower bearing ring disposed on opposite sides of said water circulating channel. 
     
     
       10. A sanitary fitting comprising: a stationary fitting body having a generally cylindrical outer periphery which includes a pair of circling collars which project radially outwardly and which at least partially define therebetween a circulating water channel circumferentially disposed about the outer periphery, said fitting body further being provided with an inlet channel, an outlet channel, and a pair of circling grooves each disposed at least partially around the outer periphery of said fitting body on opposite sides of said circulating water channel, wherein each said circling collar at least partially separates a respective said circling groove from said circulating water channel and defines part of said respective circling groove, and wherein said outlet channel intersects with said circulating water channel to allow fluid communication therebetween;   a valve control unit mounted on said fitting body and connected to said inlet and outlet channels;   a pair of sealing rings each disposed in a respective said circling groove in said fitting body;   a bearing sleeve which surrounds said fitting body, said bearing sleeve defining part of said circulating water channel, said bearing sleeve being provided with a water passage hole adjacent said circulating water channel to allow fluid flow therethrough;   a swivel spout connection piece having one end attached to said bearing sleeve over said water passage hole, thereby allowing fluid flow from said circulating water channel into said swivel spout connection piece; and   at least one bearing ring disposed between said bearing sleeve and said sealing rings, said bearing ring abutting said bearing sleeve and said sealing ring, wherein said at least one bearing ring overlays each of said sealing rings and respective circling grooves, wherein part of said at least one bearing ring defines part of said circulating water channel;   wherein said swivel spout connection piece and said bearing sleeve are pivotable about said fitting body by sliding contact between said bearing sleeve and said at least one bearing ring;   whereby contact between said bearing sleeve and said sealing rings is prevented by the interposition of said at least one bearing ring between said bearing sleeve and sealing rings.   
     
     
       11. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least one bearing ring comprises a first bearing part disposed over one of said sealing rings and a second bearing part which covers the other one of said sealing rings, wherein said first and second parts are attached to one another. 
     
     
       12. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least one bearing ring comprises two bearing rings for covering respective said sealing rings. 
     
     
       13. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least one bearing ring is provided with a bearing circling groove on an outer periphery thereof; and further comprising a seal disposed in said bearing circling groove, thereby providing sealing between said bearing sleeve and said bearing ring. 
     
     
       14. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 13 wherein the part of said at least one bearing ring which borders said water passage hole comprises a beveled edge which slopes toward said bearing sleeve. 
     
     
       15. The sanitary fitting in accordance with claim 9 wherein part of said at least one bearing ring borders said water passage hole.